1. Traditionally, Japanese MNEs followed an ethnocentric orientation in international staffing, in which managers from headquarters hold key subsidiary positions. Sony is shifting away from this model. What approach should Sony follow for staffing its subsidiaries? When recruiting expatriates for foreign operations, what characteristics should Sony emphasize to ensure its managers are adept at living and working abroad?

2. Sony faces challenges in finding suitable talent for its operations in China and Europe. What steps should it take to ensure it has an adequate pool of international managers and other talent for worldwide operations? What should Sony do to promote global mind-sets?

3. What is your view of Sony’s training efforts? What steps could Sony take to improve its training in light of its multi country operations?

4. Sony has experienced labor relations problems in Indonesia and elsewhere. What strategies should management follow to improve labor relations? What can it do to reduce the number and severity of labor difficulties the firm might face in the future?

5. What is your view of Sony’s efforts at corporate social responsibility (CSR) in international operations? What steps can Sony take to improve CSR in organizing and managing its operations around the world, particularly in developing countries and emerging markets?

The Japanese electronics giant Sony employs 170,000 people worldwide, making and marketing the PlayStation home video game systems, televisions, digital and video cameras, laptop computers, personal music players, and semiconductors. Europe, Japan, and North America each generate about a quarter of its sales; the remainder comes from the rest of the world. The firm has several entertainment divisions, including Epic and Sony Pictures Entertainment, and plants in Britain, China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, and the United States.